Amusement device.



F. J. JOHNSTON.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 7, 1906.

1'"! NORRIS PETERS ca, wasmunrou. n. c.

PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908.

2 SHEBTBSHEET 1.

' IN VEN TOR ATTORZY No. 878,400. PATENTED FEB. 4, 1908.

F. J. JOHNSTON.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 7, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES: IN VEN TOR A TTORN THE NORRIS PETERS cm, wAsmuuram n. c.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' FRANK J. JOHNSTON, OF OAKPARK, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO F. J'. JOHNSTONCIRCLE WAVE AMUSEMENT 00., OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION O FCALIFORNIA.

AMUSEMENT DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4:, 1908.

Application filed December 7. 1906. Serial No. 346.718.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. Jonnsrox, citizen of the United States,residing at Oahpark, in the county of Sacramento and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in AmusementDevices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to amusement devices. Its object is to provide anapparatus which shall combine the pleasurable c'll'ects and results nowobtainable only in a number of distinct and separate amusementapparatuses; that is to say, I seek to obtain in a single apparatus thecombination of the toboggan slide, the "merry-go-round and the circleswing, constituting what I term the circle wave; at the same time it ismy chief desire to render the apparatus simple of construction andoperation, and thoroughly safe to the occupants.

The invention consists of the parts, and the construction andcombination of parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimedhaving reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is anelevation of the invention, certain parts being omitted. Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the car showing means of supporting it. Fig. 3 is adetail of the apparatus showing anend elevation of a car with its springsupporting means. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of part of the frame.

In the so called toboggan slide as commonly constructed and operated, acar is adapted to move at a rapid rate over an undulating track. In theso-called circle swing plan a series of cars or carriages are hung byrods from the top of a mast which is adapted to be revolved; as thespeed of revolution of the mast and suspended parts increases, the carsswing outwardly by centrifugal force until they stand at a considerableincline to their perpendicular axis of rotation. While both these planshave their attractive features, they both embody more or less an elementof danger.

In the embodiment of my invention I employ a circular flat track Amounted upon a suitable supporting structure, with the entire tracklying in an inclined plane from the horizontal, as shown in Fig. 1.Concentric with the track and perpendicular to the plane thereof is acentral mast 2, which is suitably supported for rotation, and from whichradiate the braces 3, which are supported at their outer end on therollers 4, running on the track A. These radial braces 3 are of suitableconstruction, and suitably braced and guyed by the rods and cables 55and constitute a revolving platform. At suitable intervals around theoutside of this platform are erected the standards or upright-s 6 which,lilac all the rest of the ap paratus, are of suitable material andconstruction to withstand the weight and strain put upon them. From thetop of these standards are hung the cars 7; usually one end of twoadjacent cars being supported on a single standard, as shown in Fig. Thestandards or uprights 6 are arranged perpen dieular to the plane of theplatform and the axis of the rollers 4, and they extend in line abovesaid rollers. At the upper ends of these standards or uprights aresuitable suspending devices which are herein shown as in the form ofhooxs 6 which engage suitable eyes or holes in the upper ends of theforked hangers 6 whose members diverge downwardly and attach to the carsat opposite sides of the longitudinal center thereof, one of saidmembers being extended so as to form a convenient means for theattachment of one end of suitable tension springs 8.

The cars are of any appropriate or desired construction and design, andare hung to have a limited swinging movement in a plane radial to thetrack. This swinging or oscillating movement of the car however islimited by the tension springs 8; two springs being employed at the endof a car, with the adj acent ends of the two sprin s secured to the car,and the other ends being attached to a fixed part of the revolvingplatform. Normally, with the car at rest, the springs will be inert, andthe car will hang plumb. However as the platform is set in motion andthe speed increases, the cars acting under centrifugal force, will tendto swing outward and the inside springs will yield a proper amount toallow the production of the desired effect on the occupants of the car.The extent of this outward oscillation of the car may be positivelylimited against the breakage, or

latter are at rest, stands always at an incline to the perpendicular.while the apparatus, on being set in motion, will turn constantly in thesame inclined plane, the occupants of the car will be treated to thenovel sensation of-traveling not only in a circle, but of also riding upand down over a track of constantly changing levels, and of alsoswinging outward on the trunnions of the car hangers.

The structure may be built of any desired size, 100 or more feet indiameter. By having the platform supported on a track at its perimeter,and by having the track perfectly flat, with no sudden olts or bumps orundulations, the apparatus can be run at considerable speed, and withpractically no danger of an accident.

Outside of the revolving platform, there may be built a surroundingplatform 10 to permit of the embarking and disembarking of thepassengers from any of the cars, when the device is at a stand-still.Any appropriate means may be employed to revolve the apparatus: The masthas fixed to it on the under side of the platform, a grooved pulley 11for a rope drive, leading from any suitable source of power. Therevolution of the platform can be checked or controlled by suitablemeans as the friction brake 12 which is fulcrumed to a fixed part of theapparatus, and has a shoe 13 to engage the groove in the pulley 11.

In order to render the apparatus as noise less as possible in operation,the rollers 4 are preferably rubber-tired.

It is possible that various modifications may be made in theconstruction herein shown without departing from the principle of theinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent 1s 1. An improved pleasure apparatus having incombination a continuous track, a rotary platform, rollers at theperimeter of the platform engaging the track, a centrally disposed mastand braces or guys connecting the same with the platform,supportscarried by the platform, and arranged perpendicular The result is thatto the platform and to the aXis of the rollers, passenger conveyancesarranged one between each pair of supports, hangers secured to thepassenger conveyances said hangers having their upper ends pivotallyconnected to the supports whereby the conveyances are capable ofswinging transversely of the platform.

2. An improved pleasure apparatus hav ing in combination a continuoustrack, a rotary platform, rollers at the perimeter of the platformengaging the track, supports carried by the platform, and arrangedperpendicular to the platform and to the axes of the rollers, passengerconveyances arranged one between each pair of supports, hangers secured, to the passenger conveyances said han ers having their upper endspivotally connected to the supports whereby the conveyances are capableof swinging. transversely of the platform, said hangers being forked andthe members thereof diverging downwardly and being secured to theconveyances at opposite sides of the center thereof, and springs forlimiting the swinging movement of said conveyances.

3. An improved amusement apparatus having in combination a flat circulartrack transversely inclined and devoid of undulations, a central mastmounted for rotation concentric with said track and perpendicular to theplane thereof, a platform rigid with said. mast parallel with the planeof said track, braces or guys connecting the mast with said platform,rollers in the perimeter of said platform and adapted to run on saidtrack, seats for passengers ,on said platform, standards projecting fromthe platform perpendicular thereto and to the aXis of the rollers, saidseats being suspended from the upper ends of the standards whereby theseats may have a limited oscillating movement transversely of the track.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FRANK J. JOHNSTON. Witnesses:

l/VM. W'. Morr, Jr., Enw. CnoI-IELTE NI.

